The Reaper's Tale
by Aiddon Raziel Valentine
Summary: Kurosaki Kazui is a Soul Reaper, a shepherd and guardian of the dead. His life is ordinary and peaceful. Then one night while on patrol he meets a strange man who leaves him half dead. And thus the specter of the past returns, not only from events nearly thirty years ago but ones far, far older.
1. Prologue

Prologue: Ragaraja Falls, the Trickster Returns

How had he failed so completely? All those years, all that effort, and this was what happened? He even had to abandon Kyouka Suigetsu in order to retreat back to Las Noches. So many sacrifices, but he still had a chance. The Hougyoku was still intact in its vault. With the Gotei Thirteen busy rounding up the stragglers he had a window, but it was slim. He moved as fast as his battered body would allow and steadily made progress towards his destination.

If he still had the Hougyoku he could start over. He could go even deeper into Hueco Mundo to hide, find even more powerful Hollows, maybe even Vasto Lorde. He could wait, even if it took him decades.

Just a little further. The fighting from the clash had heavily damaged the palace but luckily this was the one place unharmed. Except it was open. And occupied.

"This is it?" A feminine voice, light, almost airy.

"Yeah, to think this while mess was caused just because of a tiny jewel. The second I laid eyes on the thing I knew I finally found it. But how is the progress of it?" He'd recognize that accent anywhere.

"Enough to have put a dent in it, but only just. Then again it was lying here the entire time so it wasn't getting reiatsu directly."

"Oh bother, I was hoping this whole rebellion business could have accomplished something. In the end it was just pointless." _POINTLESS!?_

"Come, we have to get moving."

"GIN!"

Aizen finally made his presence known. Gin scanned the treasonous Shinigami from head to toe. He was disheveled, his clothes a wreck, splattered in blood and dirt, and his hair was a mess.

"They really did a number on you, Aizen."

"What is the meaning of this, Gin?"

"None of the Espada either. Are they all dead, or did just get sick of you?"

"ANSWER ME!"

The smile dropped from Gin's lips and his narrow eyes opened. Acidic blue pools looked at Aizen, but not as a superior and not even as an equal. He glanced at the empty sheath at Aizen's hip.

"You couldn't even remember your sword. You really are a Grade-A fuckup, nothing more than a bit player."

"Bit player? You were playing me the _entire time_!?"

"Of course. It was fun to watch you act like you had any idea what you were doing."

Aizen had enough. He would not be humiliated further. He might have lost Kyouka Suigetsu, but he still had other methods of attack. Even in his current state he could still cause damage with a quick incantation. Wrath, however, clouded his mind at the worst time.

"If you don't have the Tenki, then you're worthless."

Aizen wasn't aware he had been struck. He crumpled to the floor and his lifeblood seeped from where his heart had been. Over him stood Gin's guest, not a spot of red blemishing the white, hooded gown she wore.

"Aw, couldn't you have let me do it?" Gin pouted.

"You would have enjoyed it too much." Her fingers were smeared with blood. She had been out of action for too long if she had gotten this rusty.

She glanced at the artifact in her other hand. All that bloodshed for such a tiny thing. And none of Aizen's army had any clue what it actually was. She secreted it into her sleeve and began walking out of Las Noches. They needed to be far away by the time the Gotei Thirteen arrived to strip the place.

"You really haven't found any of them?" He hated silent walks.

"It was like I told you before. You and I are the only ones that are ripe, so to speak."

"It might take so long that you'll be just as grey as I am."

"Even if it did, I'd still go through with it.

"Right behind you, Ama-nee."

They vanished into the infinite, blighted waste of Hueco Mundo. And with them they took all knowledge of the war's true purpose.

XXXXX

Author's Notes: Ah yes, it's been far too long since I dealt with this. With the end of Bleach I decided to finally get around to a little experiment that's been mulling around in my head for far too long. As you can tell, the Arrancar Arc went down a lot differently in this universe. Another series that will explain that will be put up at a later date when I get further into the current story in order to expand on some plot points. For now, let's begin a new tale and a new era


	2. Track 1

_And so the Blade of Fate fell once more_

 _Wreathed in white_

Track One: Outset in the Rain

Kyoto was in high spirits. The Gion Matsuri had just started and with it came all the activity. From dawn and past dusk the crowds flooded the streets and vendors were lined to service customers. Though with all that activity came problems, especially Hollows.

He gazed on the streets below from his perch atop an office building. His face was oddly soft with sharp eyes and a head of thick, auburn hair that was braided to his waist. The long, curved sword slung across his back would no doubt cause room for attention. That is, if anyone was capable of seeing him.

The youth bobbed his head to music blaring over the headphone he had on one ear as he munched on the spicy yakitori skewer he'd managed to yank from a stall while still leaving the necessary payment. Such a lively night and he wasn't able to participate openly. He wondered when the next time he'd get a vacation was.

It was hot, boiling hot. The air was thick with moisture that made his hair stick to his face and his clothes musty. He was just glad he never had to take on the day shift.

" _Kazui_."

Maybe he could call it a night. After all, it had already been three hours and there wasn't a wandering soul or Hollow to be found.

" _ **Kazui.**_ _"_

He wondered if Rosa was still awake so he could give her a call. Or was she still on that summer camp for her club?

" _OI! KAZUI!"_

He managed to hear that. He took off his headphones and switched his attention to a device on his wrist.

"Yeah, Ichi?"

" _Don't take that tone with me when you're goofing off again. If you keep that up the Captain is going to start giving you a cavity search before every shift."_

"Hey, if it weren't so peaceful I wouldn't be doing it. I've gone through the district three times and no signs of anything. How about you?"

" _An earthbound spirit or two. I just sent them on their merry little way. One got pissy with me since he was haunting a hot spring. Why do I always get the pervs?"_

"Maybe fate hates you."

" _Possibly. Anyway, I'm going for another round. You'd better do the same."_

"Alright, if anything weird happens I'll call."

Well, back to the grind, Kazui thought. He once again donned his headphones and hopped from rooftop to rooftop. Another hour passed with no signs of disturbance. Try as he may he couldn't sense any reiatsu in the district. Maybe he just got lucky tonight as everyone else was at least doing routine exorcisms.

The din of the crowd became less prevalent further away. He settled in a street that was as quiet as a graveyard. Maybe he just hadn't been zeroing in properly. Sometimes spirits were so weak it was hard to detect them and it wasn't hard for them to be devoured by Hollows masking their scent.

He stood still and drank in his surroundings. Even the hard rock blaring over his headphones was muted. There was still nothing? But what was with this sense of anxiety he had?

Then again, as his dad said, "If there's nothing happening, that's a good thing." It didn't make it any less boring though. Even this particular street there was nothing, the shops doing more business with temporary stalls on the main street than with their main locations. The only person around was a man in a white suit with matching fedora. Gods, that was tacky.

Kazui walked past him as he fiddled with his player. He wasn't really in the mood for what was playing over his head phones.

"Hey kid."

Queen? Nah, he only Day at the Races on right now.

"Kid."

Zeppelin seemed a bit too bluesy for the festivities.

"You, the almond-headed Soul Reaper, I'm trying to get a conversation going."

Now that got Kazui's attention. The white-suited man was looking at him. Kazui was reminded of a snake now that he got a clear view of the man's face, punctuated with that shit-eating grin he had. It wasn't impossible for humans to see Soul Reapers, but the spiritual talent it took was one in tens of millions. This man was odd. He didn't feel like a human, but he didn't feel like a Soul Reaper or any other spiritual entity. His reiatsu stank, like someone let plum wine ferment too long. Kazui didn't like it. He was already pressing the silent call button on his wrist to Ichika.

"My, my, I picked the perfect time to come to Kyoto after all."

Kazui didn't get a chance to respond as he was barely able to evade a flash of silver that cut from below.

XXXXX

"And done." Ichika laid the pommel of her sword on the forehead of a vagrant spirit who'd been killed during a car accident. Hopefully she'd be able to see her boyfriend on the other side, the welfare department having gotten a lot better at reuniting relatives and loved ones.

She tossed her wild mane of flaming red hair. Goddamn, it was hot, even at night. She thanked the stars that it wasn't the day. The sun would have fried her to a crisp.

She could hear thunder rolling nearby. The weather seemed to be just as fed up with this heat wave as she was. God she couldn't wait to get home and meet up with Munashii-san and Ryuuhai-senpai at Midorizaruya.

Her communicator on her wrist was ringing. Odd, she was usually the one calling Kazui.

"Yo, finally found something interesting or are you just asking me to sneak into Nintendo's HQ again?" No answer, but the closer she listened she heard sounds of battle. Kazui never called for backup. He might be a bit flighty, but he wasn't weak. Oh hell…

Ichika could feel his reiatsu signal in the distance lighting up like a signal flare. She flew, hoping she could make it in time. However, she was pelted from above by projectiles that she managed to dodge at the last second. Dammit, what a time for a Hollow to finally show up!

The Soul Reaper drew her blade from her hip and dodged the next volley. The almost reptilian soul wagged its tongue above, its face almost in ecstasy. It had gone completely feral.

Rain began to pour from the heavens and soak the city. Then she noticed more Hollow signatures cropping up for kilometers. She didn't have time for this crap!

"Byakurai!"

XXXXX

It had been awhile since Kazui had been in a tough scrap. The last time a Hollow had given him trouble was a month after he graduated. But this wasn't a Hollow; this was a person. And he was toying with him.

That snake man had started slow, gradually making his offense fiercer. His weapon was well-suited for poking through holes in a defense and playing tricks. How Kazui hated wakizashi.

Thunder had given way to a downpour now and lightning snapped across the sky. Silver blades arced through water droplets and struck one another. Kazui managed to stall his partner's sword for once.

"That's a really odd zanpakutou you have there." He grinned, referring to the fact that Kazui's sword had a reverse blade with edges on both sides. "Figure out its name yet?"

This man was insufferable. Kazui put everything he had into his swing and sent the white-haired bastard sliding on the rain-soaked asphalt. He would have followed up, but then he noticed that there was a lot of reiatsu flaring up.

"Hollows?"

"I was wondering when that would kick in. Don't worry, I'm pretty sure they won't die. If they're strong."

You son of a bitch! Kazui leapt into the air, ready to split the man in two.

"Shoot to kill."

In the blink of an eye Kazui was now hanging in midair by the absurdly long sword in his midriff. The white man tilted his head and sighed.

"That's too bad. I was hoping you'd keep me entertained for a good, long while."

Kazui fell to earth, one hand on his sword while another was covering where he'd been impaled. Holy hell, it hurt.

"Guess I was wrong after all. Still, it was fun while it lasted, kid." Dammit, his vision was getting blurry.

"… _a…i…"_

He couldn't see anything but white now, endless white…

XXXXX

Ichika was breathing heavily as she had finally downed the Hollow she'd been dealing with. And there were still more of its kind floating around. And then she felt Kazui's reiatsu drop. No, no, no, no, no, this was not happening, this was impossible! She made a beeline for his location, but then the entire district lit up.

"The hell!?" She shielded her eyes as her vision was filled with white.

At first she thought it had been a bolt of lightning that had struck way too close but no thunder followed it. She didn't even bother sticking her landing as she plummeted to the ground.

There was no threat, but Kazui was lying in a pool of his own blood being washed away by the rain. However, he still wasn't alone.

On top of him was a girl, white from head to toe. All Ichika could do now was call to get backup.

"This is Abarai Ichika with the Sixth Division, do you read me?" She asked into her communicator.

" _Loud and clear, Abarai, and you're not the first one to ask for assistance."_

"Lieutenant Maeda?"

" _Damn right it's me, you'd think I wouldn't notice the party going on down there? You alright?"_

"I am, but Kazui's really hurt."

" _No problemo, kid, we already got medics on the way. Just stabilize him and make sure not to move hi-SHIT! Abarai, ya got three nasties on ya!"_

This day was going from bad to worse. She'd drained a lot on that last Hollow trying to get to Kazui. The creatures slinked out from the shadows, licking the false teeth of their masks. She needed to figure out which one to take out first, but she still needed to tend to Kazui. They weren't waiting on her though and leapt towards Ichika.

"Scatter."

The Hollows fell in an instant and were soon dissipating. She'd recognize that feeling anywhere. From behind where the Hollows had been was a man in a white haori with a high collar. His long, black hair was strangely fashioned with white decorations, making for odd bangs that framed his face.

"Captain?" Kuchiki Byakuya, her uncle. His dark eyes scanned her and Kazui.

"Tend to him, Ichika, I'll take care of the rest." His sword was already released, its blade now scattered to the wind at his command.

"Wait, what about reinforcements?"

"I _am_ the reinforcements." He said before he flew off to take care of the rest of his men. Ichika sighed.

"Can't ya just say you were worried about me, Ojisama?"

It didn't take long for the Hollows to be routed, Captain Kuchiki carving through them like he was trying to set a record. Luckily no one was killed, though a few agents had been wounded and needed treatment, most of all Kazui who had a sizable hole in his gut.

"Is he going to be alright?" She asked the attending medic.

"Luckily it didn't hit any vitals and you got to him quick. He lost a lot of blood, but he should be fine."

"Don't worry about him. If he's half as stubborn as his father he'll shrug it off like a cold." The Captain had sheathed his blade. Aside from his clothes being wet he looked flawless. "And the sooner the better as he needs to tell us who she is."

Lying on a stretcher nearby was the girl. Ichika didn't know what to make of her either. She just knew she wasn't normal.

XXXXX

He had to laugh. For all the time he spent grinning he rarely laughed and now he was letting it all out. It was just too damn hilarious. Years of searching, years of waiting, and he'd finally found it.

He lay back against the tree he'd fled to. He was so glad for Yomi making those trinkets so they could retreat quickly. Couldn't get another for awhile though.

Footsteps came approaching from the trees. Judging by their heft it was…

"Da fuck happened ta you?" Yep, definitely Rai. As usual he looked like someone a street gang wished they could be. Though Fuu wasn't with him, for once.

"Sorry, I got a bit sloppy and was taken off guard." His arm, the one that held his zanpakutou, was lying across his lap severed from his shoulder. "Could you be a pal and get Ama-nee?"

"So, didja find 'er?" Rai turned stone-faced.

That grin of his got bigger, telling Rai all he needed.


	3. Track 2

_I've loved you_

 _Before we even met_

Track Two: The Pallid Maiden

Kazui woke up in the infirmary the next day. He spent way too much time in the Fourth Division barracks growing up, doubly so when it came to his days in the Academy. He was still trying to piece together what happened last night. Festival, Ichika yelling at him, and then that shit-eating… oh yeah, he had been left with a significant hole in his abdomen.

He heard someone humming a tune nearby. The curtain was pulled aside to reveal a woman wearing a modified shihakushou. Unlike the other members she had a full obi on. Her auburn hair was thrown over her shoulder as a plait and silver pins in the shape of flowers were in her bangs.

"Well, you're finally up, Sleepy Head." She smiled, her auburn hair looking fiery in the afternoon light.

"Hey, Mom." Kurosaki Orihime, Special Member of the Fourth Division. Of course she'd be the first to see him.

"It's been awhile since you've been taken to the infirmary." She pulled a chair up and began peeling an apple.

"Don't you have other patients you could be looking after?"

"Everyone has checked out alright. Besides I'm on break for now and Shun'o and Ayame can treat anyone without my input. Kazui, what happened out there?"

"I dunno, I thought I was being careful and the next thing I know I have hole in my gut."

"Ichika-chan said as much. It must have been one nasty Hollow to get you."

"Not a Hollow." Orihime stopped peeling the apple she had.

" _Not_ a Hollow. What was it then?"

"Some-"

"Mama."

The mother and son pair looked to the nearby door. Peeking in was a little girl in a floral kimono with her orange hair tied into pigtails.

"What, Tat-chan?"

"Is Oniichan alright?"

"I'm fine, Tatsuka, it's not baAAD!" The girl hopped onto the bed and into her brother's lap. Crap, even if the hole in him was filled in that still hurt.

"Tat-chan, Oniichan needs to rest." Orihime sighed, though her daughter refused to be separated from her brother. She clung to his hospital gown like a limpet.

"Tatsuka…" He patted her head. "I'm fine, okay? It wasn't anything serious. I just got knocked around a little."

"Hmph…" Her cheeks puffed out as she pouted. She was always so stubborn.

"Tatsuka! What are you doing running around?" And now another member of the family had entered. And the Fourth Division Captain on top of it. Were his aunts going to show up next? "I'm sorry, Orihime, I take my eyes off her for one second and then she seemed to use Shunpo."

"It's fine, Mother, she's just worried."

"Hey, Grandma Retsu. Aunt Isane isn't hiding around the corner is she?"

"No, but she was bawling her eyes out when you were brought in." She managed to remove Tatsuka from her brother, cradling the little girl in her arms. "Come, Tatsuka, I have some almond sweets fresh from the shop."

"Really!?"

"Mm-hm, just for you and me." She gave Orihime and Kazui a wink before closing the door behind her. Too many relatives in the first ten minutes of him being awake. Orihime handed him a dish with apple slices.

"Here, you should be well enough to have your appetite back." Ah, honey crisp, his favorite. It could have used some spicy caramel though. "Anyway, back to what we were talking about from before, you weren't attacked by a Hollow?"

"No, some guy picked a fight with me. It seemed like he even attracted the Hollows to the town just so he could puncture me."

"What did he look like?"

"He was little taller than me, but really, really thin, like he was made of just skin and bone. And he always kept grinning."

"I see. You should notify Byakuya-san and Shinpachi-kun the first chance you get. This is definitely going to change the follow up inquiry."

Kazui didn't like it when his mother became serious like that.

"There's also one other thing that you'll be asked a lot over the next few days." Orihime walked over to the next bed and pulled aside the curtain.

On the bed lay another patient, a girl about Kazui's age. She was tall, almost as tall as Kazui, but slender and wispy. Every inch of her from head to toe was pure white, even her short hair which was done in pixie cut. She rolled over in her sleep.

"Who is that?"

"We thought you could answer that. According to Ichika-chan she found her wearing nothing but her birthday suit alongside you. I wondered if you'd finally gotten to that age, though I would prefer it if you didn't pick up random girls."

"Mom, I've never seen her in my entire life, I don't even remember seeing her last night. What were you doing dragging her into the Seireitei?"

"Because we don't know what she is. Putting aside that she's a witness, she's not a normal spiritual entity. If she were a vagrant spirit she would have been konso'd, but since she didn't have a chain on her she couldn't be that. No name, a reiki signature we can't identify, no one in the current databases that fits her description, a complete unknown."

This day kept getting stranger by the minute.

XXXXX

Ichika sighed as she was finally able to punch out for the day. They'd kept her overtime pestering her questions about what happened back in the human world. There were only so many ways she could describe how she screwed up a Hollow's face before finding a bleeding Kazui alongside a butt-naked girl. She could not get away from the barracks fast enough to blow off some steam.

"And where are you going?" Ichika stopped in mid-stride as she was headed down the street. Her uncle was right behind her, having traded in his haori for a cloak.

"To the ikezaya like always?"

"Not tonight young lady, you've run over the clock. Come, we're late for dinner as it is."

She didn't argue as she'd inevitably lose. Despite her surname she was still part of the Kuchiki Clan and she was expected to conduct herself accordingly. Takeko was going to have to have fun with Ryuuhai-senpai and Munashii-san without her.

"You did well considering the circumstances, Ichika." Her uncle said as they walked along the river to the estate. The sun was beginning its descent in the hours before twilight.

"All I did was take out one Hollow and get to Kazui. It's pretty bad when your captain has to bail you out."

"A unique exception, I assure you. A Hollow convergence like that is very rare in the human world."

"And I'll be glad not to see another for awhile."

They arrived at the estate after about thirty minutes. The place was so huge there were separate houses on the grounds, her family specifically taking one of the branch manors while her uncle was at the main house. At the entrance were servants who came to greet them and head towards the dining hall.

"Ah! How's my baby girl?" She felt a pair of arms hold her tightly just as she entered the room.

"Dad! I'm not five anymore!" Her father could never get enough of that. It was obvious Ichika got her flaming red hair from him, though his was even wilder, worn down and the elaborate tattoos etched onto his face and arms only made him look fiercer. Abarai Renji, Fifth Division Captain and her father.

"C'mon, I heard ya had a busy day and wanted to hear it. Your mother was freaking out about what happened."

"As she should have, Renji." Byakuya tossed his hair at his brother-in-law. "Ten wounded, three were in severe condition until a few hours ago, and we have an unexpected complication."

"Well, that can wait for after dinner, because I'm starving." And in stepped her mother, the Thirteenth Division's Captain. It was little wonder people called Ichika "Princess" to this day. Her mother wore a simple blue kimono, her long black hair tied back. "Are you okay, Ichika? Are you sure you're not hurt?"

"I'm fine, Mom, all I had to deal with was some shmuck and Ojisama did most of the heavy lifting."

"I heard from Orihime that Kazui was discharged just a few minutes ago, if you were wondering."

"I would bother him with what happened in the human world, but I'm going to agree with Rukia that dinner should come first." Byakuya never liked being late to a meal, though whether that was due to ceremony or appetite was up to interpretation. Ichika's own hunger was flaring up upon smelling that yakiniku was on the menu tonight.

Before the family could dine hoever, one of the servants came up to Byakuya and whispered into his ear.

"…What do you mean the witness has vanished from the infirmary?"

XXXXX

"We're home!" Orihime said as she walked in alongside Kazui who was holding Tatsuka with one arm while holding a bag with the other. They went to the market after her shift was over.

"Oh, he's still in one piece." Over at the nearby table was a girl, older than Tatsuka, but barely half Kazui's age, with orange hair cut into a bob. She was munching on a rice cracker while reading.

"You're not getting my room anytime soon, Kiku." He sat Tatsuka next to her sister who was curious as to the book she was looking over.

"I should get started on dinner. I'll make something special."

"Want some help?"

"Don't worry, you should just rest in your room for now."

Jeez, I'm not that invalid, Kazui thought. Kiku took Tatsuka outside to play while Orihime began preparing dinner. That sounded nice, maybe some of her leek and miso sauce spaghetti or spicy roasted pork with sakura.

Kazui sat on his bed. His room was plastered with stuff from the human world, typically foreign bands his father had gotten him into and even had a collection of vinyl. A bass guitar lay in the corner though he'd been so busy he hadn't got a chance to play it. Hell, he was officially on sick leave, so he might as well catch up.

"Mm."

What was that? Kazui patted the sheets and felt something big. Nervously he pulled them down…to reveal the white girl. This time she wore a white and black, knee-length dress that had no back, showing a pair of wing tattoos that covered her back from neck to hip. Its neckline was low and around her throat was a black, lace choker. Her eyes opened to reveal a pair of rose red orbs. She smiled lethargically.

"Welcome home, Kazui-san." A girl. In his bed. And it was the same girl from the infirmary. Three, two, one…

"HAAAAAAA!?" Downstairs his mother nearly dropped the knife she was using.

"Not so loud, you'll disturb the neighbors." She was rubbing the sleepiness out of her eyes.

"How did you get into my house?! Why are you in my bed?!"

"Where you go, I go, simple as that. Also, are you sure you want your sisters to hear that?"

"Kazui, what is-" Of all the times for his mother to show up. She blinked once, twice, thrice, and then looked to her son. "Kazui, I'm fine with you bringing girls home, but please don't abduct patients from the infirmary."

"Mom, I was with you the entire time, there's no way I could have done that."

"Hello, Mother, it's a pleasure to meet you." This girl could not read the atmosphere, she was even yawning as she stretched her big….white… _wings?_ What the _hell_ was this woman?

After finally getting their thoughts straight, Kazui and his mother informed the proper authorities, Orihime telling the Fourth Division that their missing patient had somehow ended up in her house while Kazui informed the Sixth Division that the mysterious witness from before was awake. Lieutenant Maeda said they'd be over shortly, but considering his sense of urgency it would probably take him two hours.

She just sat at the table, sipping a cup of green tea. Kazui didn't even realize when he entered that her boots were at the entrance hall, the pair of white, high-heeled footwear standing out like a sore thumb. What the hell was going on?

"Wow, these are really pretty." Tatsuka couldn't help but tug the girl's wings, which were now about half as long as her arms.

"Ow! Careful there, it's okay to touch them, but pulling my feathers hurts."

"Okay, um, uh…?"

"Maki, but you can call me Oneechan if you want."

"Hey, I'm the Oneechan." Kiku pulled Maki's cheek.

"Okay, Maki-nee is fine. You two are just too adorable." She ruffled Kiku's hair.

"You're getting way too familiar with my sisters." Kazui sat opposite of her at the table.

"Oh? Am I being interrogated?"

"I'm off duty, but you'd best get used to it."

"Okay, my name is spelled with the kanji for 'spiral,' I'm an Aquarius, and my three sizes are 77-68-79. " Only one of those was relevant. Kazui sipped on a glass of Calpico he'd gotten the other day. He needed every treat he could think of to unwind.

"How did you know my name anyway? You were fast asleep at the infirmary."

"I've always known it. I've known you for a long, _long_ time, Kazui-san."

"So you're a stalker?"

"Far from it. _You_ called _me_ after all, I merely answered."

"Who…are you?"

"Maki, nothing more."

The front door opened, ending their conversation for the time being. For a moment Kazui thought it was Lieutenant Maeda, but then he felt that familiar aura.

"I'm home." Said a gruff voice from the entrance hall. Both of Kazui's sisters leapt from the table and raced to the door.

"Papa!" Tatsuka beamed as she gave her father's leg a bear hug.

"Hey, how are my favorite girls?"

Kurosaki Ichigo, Captain of the Special Expeditionary Unit First Team. That was a title Kazui had never heard the end of growing up or when he was in the academy. He was a special case in the Seireitei, even down to his wardrobe. His garb was somewhere between East and West. Forgoing a traditional haori, he went for something more akin to a midnight blue duster jacket. Underneath was a of jinbe with the lotus insignia of his unit on the breast. It contrasted greatly against the shock of orange hair he had that couldn't remotely be called tamed and a few days' stubble of orange was on his face.

"So, this is the surprise guest we got." Ichigo cocked his eyebrow as Maki bowed before him.

"A pleasure, Father, pardon my intrusion."

"Your reputation is starting to precede you." Kazui rolled his eyes. "So, did Lieutenant Maeda ask you to escort her to the barracks?"

"Not for the moment. She clearly isn't going anywhere, so she'll be staying here under our custody for the night."

"Oh thank you, Father! Do you want me to fetch you some sake? Or maybe I could give you a massage. Your shoulders look so stiff!"

"Helping me with these dishes wouldn't hurt." Orihime poked her head out of the kitchen.

"Coming!" Maki was eager to please, too eager.

Dinner went as peacefully as one could expect in spite of the strange new guest they had under their roof. Like anyone partaking in a Kurosaki household meal, the dishes were unique. Cherry-honey glazed salmon, brown rice seasoned with red pepper, lemon butter, and a hint of cinnamon, and miso stew with crab meat and scallions.

"Say 'ah,' Kazui-san." Maki had been doing this all night and damned if she wasn't going to succeed at it.

"If I haven't done it five times before, I'm not going to do it now. And isn't it shameless to do that in front of my folks?"

"Nothing major, I'd have your father take a piece of sushi from between my teeth despite your aunts being around."

"Not helping, Mom."

"No arguing at the dinner table." He shot Kazui and Maki a glare which stopped them immediately. He just peacefully enjoyed Orihime's dishes while Tatsuka was in his lap.

Dinner went peacefully with Orihime taking the girls to the bath afterward. Maki said she was going to lie down for a bit after she washed the dishes

It was night out now, the moon hanging high in the sky. Kazui's father sat on the veranda relaxing with his uniform being replaced with sweat pants and a long-sleeved shirt.

"Ya gonna say anything to your old man or are ya gonna sit there all night?" He was reading the paper.

"I'm just trying to keep my brain from frying over sensory overload." Kazui was still finishing off the chocolate, orange, and anko bread pudding his mother had made. "What I wouldn't give to take out my frustrations on that snake-faced jackass."

"…What?"

"Oh right, you don't know. Well, the one who put a hole in me wasn't a Hollow, it was some guy with a flamboyant fashion sense and the most obnoxious grin in history."

"Did he have…silver hair? And did he ever say 'shoot to kill?'"

"Yeah, right when he punctured me. Why do you know?"

Kazui couldn't see his father's face from where he was sitting. If he had, he would have seen his brown eyes giving a piercing glare.

"Kazui, Honey, the bath's open!"

"Go right ahead, I'll take mine later." Ichigo said as he made his way upstairs. "Okay girls, time for bed."

"Only if you read me a story!" Tatsuka could never get to sleep without one.

"Alright, you got it."

Kazui finished off his dessert and made his way to the bath. After a long day he felt like he needed it. His long braid came undone since Kiku did it earlier and his hair flowed freely. He dunked a bucket over his head and started scrubbing his head. There was nothing he hated more than his hair feeling grimy after a long day. He really wanted to hit the sack after this and spend all of tomorrow vegetating.

The door into the room slid open _slooooowly_ as not to make a noise and in came a visitor. Elegant feet tip-toed across the tiles until she was right behind Kazui.

"Want me to wash your back? "

Kazui's neck turned so fast he was in danger of suffering whiplash. Maki. Right behind him. In nothing but a towel. And he was in nothing but a towel. Shit!

Kazui went right for the door lest he repeat the bedroom incident from earlier. Though in his haste he didn't quite manage to stand and instead tumbled off the stool, with Maki following him. A clangor later and suddenly the girl was above him, her towel one quick mishap away from freeing every inch of her supple, alabaster body. She grinned.

"I was just going to scrub your back, but if you want to be that bold-"

" _Shut. Up._ "

"Kazu-" Oh hell, the worst case scenario happened. His mother was standing over them. She blinked once, twice, thrice and slowly began to close the door.

"Wait, Mom, this isn't what it looks like!"

"Kazui," she said with her back to them "please remember to practice responsibly."

He hated his life.

XXXXX

Ichigo had put Tatsuka and Kiku to bed a few minutes ago. Despite her exuberance Tatsuka was clearly tired and was snoozing after a few pages. She curled against her sister who was soon out as well. He gave them a peck on the forehead before going to his study.

Over by his desk was a cage meant for personal jigoku-cho that every lieutenant, captain, and seated member had. He didn't really want to hear what Kazui had said earlier. Had he gone the rest of his life without hearing that description he would have been content. But he knew he'd see that man again after he vanished nearly thirty years ago.

"The past never dies, does it Nori-san?"


	4. Track 3

_I fell from high above_

 _Hoping I was here to stay_

Track Three: The Descended One

Kazui didn't get any reprieve the following day. First thing in the morning and he was having to figure out how Maki kept getting into his room without anyone noticing. She clung to him in earnest and the only reason she removed herself from him was due to needing to get dressed (the girl somehow finding a negligee that left little to the imagination).

After breakfast, instead of being able to laze around like he believed, Kazui and Maki were escorted to the Sixth Division barracks by his father. At the gates were Captain Kuchiki and Lieutenant Maeda. Maeda was about as ordinary as you could get. His hair was in a perpetual state of unkempt, he never had any less than a day's worth of stubble on his chin, and his spectacles were as plain as could be. Then you got a glimpse at those brilliant, emerald eyes of his which were like looking at a pair of cut gems.

"Yo, Kurosaki, see you're holdin' up well." He adjusted his spectacles and then looked to Maki. "And this is the li'l lady I heard so much about."

"Greetings." She gave a curtsy.

"Come, we should get down to business." Captain Kuchiki turned on as heel and walked to the barracks.

Kazui spent the next hour having questions lobbed at him by Lieutenant Maeda. Kazui told him everything about that night right down to what album he'd been listening to on his head phones. Maeda would just write down his responses, nod his head, and ask him to continue. It was only when Kazui finished that Maeda finally started asking more questions. He looked at the notes he'd been writing.

"Kurosaki, you said before you passed out you heard a voice, right?"

"I think so, though it was too faint to tell what it was saying."

"If you had to say what it sounded like, wouldja say it was male or female?" Kazui tried to remember.

"I can't quite say, but it was really light, almost like I was hearing the wind talk."

"Interesting. And the man who attacked you, did he ask anything about you? And was there another person with him?"

"No, he was alone. As for the other question, he just got my attention and we started fighting. If I had to hazard a guess, I would say there was something about my face he didn't like."

"I see." Maeda wrote down what he heard. "That's enough for now. Don't hesitate to come to me if you think if you remembered something. And…keep what happened under wraps for now."

Kazui was thankful to be out of this, even if it didn't take that long. And as soon as he was out the door he was tackled with reckless abandon.

"Ah, I thought they were never going to stop! C'mon, let's get out of here and have some fun, isn't it happy hour at Midorizaruya?"

"Not so fast, missy." Ichigo pulled Maki off his son. "You also have some answers we need to hear. Head on out if you want Kazui, this could take awhile."

"Don't need to tell me twice."

"Kazui-san, wait for meeeeeeee!"

Where in the hell did she keep all that energy? She was like a perpetual perkiness generator. So, it was right around noon on a weekday, meaning next to nothing to do. Though Maki had a point in saying it was lunch hour at Midorizaruya. He was feeling a bit puckish and made his way through the streets.

"Well, you had the same idea as me." Ichika had been waiting for him outside the gates.

"They give you the same treatment?"

"Yup, I could recite everything from memory if I felt like it. Your friend acts like she went through a case of Lipovitan."

"And a bag of oysters while she was at it. I'm not gonna be able to look Mom in the eyes for weeks."

"Well at least it won't be boring."

The pair went through the streets into another district while chatting about things not pertaining to what had happened in the human world and Maki. They needed a distraction far away from the drama of the past few days.

Eventually they arrived in from of a small shop in one of the older streets. Luckily it wasn't too busy this time of day despite it being the lunch hour. However, there was one thing Kazui was far too familiar with.

"Yo!" A swift kick to the ass got his attention. She did this every goddamned time. And the pointed toes of those cowboy boots hurt like hell.

"Doesn't that ever get old, Senpai?"

"Not fer as long as ya keep makin' that face."

The woman who had just struck Kazui was a little shorter than Ichika, though no less fierce. Her cobalt hair was cut into a sloppy bob which brought out her brilliant, violet eyes. Atop her head was a wide-brimmed cowboy hat while she wore a leather jacket over her uniform. A pair of katana was at her hip.

Her partner by her side just shook his magnificent head of long, evergreen hair. His face was delicate, effeminate, with a pair of beautiful silver eyes. Under his shihakushou was a high-necked shirt and on his back a long sword in a shirasaya.

"How the heck have you kept up with her so long, Munashii-san?" Ichika turned to the pretty man.

"The heat needs the cold to keep it in check." He said as he walked in.

It had been awhile since Kazui had been with his senpai. When he and Ichika had been admitted to the Academy Munashii Issou and Ryuuhai Setsuna were names everyone on campus knew for good or ill. Ryuuhai because of her fiery personality and sheer contempt for convention and Munashii for wooing girls on accident whenever they so much as glanced at those two beauty marks below his right eye and for scaring the hell out of every ego-waving idiot on campus by wielding a sword like it was second nature.

The party sat down in their favorite booth in the back corner which had a lovely view of the sakura orchard across the river. Ryuuhai and Munashii started with their usual drinks despite it being in the afternoon while Kazui and Ichika stuck with tea.

"Goddamn, it's been too long since our schedules synced." Ryuuhai said as she blew out a cloud of smoke from the cigarette she just rolled. "Remember in the academy when we would hang out here after classes were done, Kazu-chan?"

"Yeah, you'd try to find ways to skip out on assignments and bum off me and Ichika."

"Hey, Icchan and me didn't grow up with silver spoons in our mouths like you and the Princess here."

"Hey guys!" In came another old classmate.

"Hey Take-chan, you're late." Ryuuhai moved aside so the short, black-haired girl could get in.

"Sorry, I got help up in the infirmary. Orihime-san insisted I get some hands-on experience." She looked in earnest to Kazui. "By the way, Tatsuka-chan said something about you having a girl at your house?"

"Oh-ho, so Kazu-chan does have a penis. Didja get to kissing or did you skip the pleasantries and hit a grand slam?"

"Senpai, learn to speak a language appropriate in public." He would die before saying what sort of libido-crazed maniac Maki was to Ryuuhai.

"I heard something about a strange, white woman being brought into the Fourth Division." Munashii spoke up for the first time. "Who is she, Kazui?"

"Can't say. Even without the confidentiality clause we really don't know anything about her, just her name."

XXXXX

"Maki."

"Maki…?" Maeda asked.

"Just Maki, written with the kanji for 'spiral.'"

Ichigo and Byakuya stood in for this session due to the unique nature of the girl. They left it to Maeda to ask the actual questions though as neither of them were good for interviews.

"Maki-san, one of my men was injured and you are the only witness to what actually happened. So, please, just describe things as best you can."

"While I appreciate you at least acting like you're concerned over Kazui-san, I do believe we can dispense with pretenses. Kazui-san is fine, what you're really concerned over is that snake-faced, silver-haired man, right?" Maeda adjusted his glasses at Maki's brusque manner.

"I ain't denyin' it. The man you encountered is a dangerous individual and it would be helpful if you can detail anything about it."

"Look, I don't know where he is. Period. One second he was there, the next he was gone. Zilch, zero, nothing, just vanished. I can only tell you that he used a method similar to one I can use. Which is why you can't find him and why you couldn't tell where I came from."

"And what method is that?" Ichigo spoke up to take over.

"It's a far more advanced form of the Senkaimon you use, or maybe I should say the Senkaimon is a less sophisticated version of it. Basically you rip open space-time and fall through a dimension into the next layer. You can't track it, you can't replicate it in order to follow it, and you certainly can't contain it."

"So do it right now."

"Certainly, Father."

And with that she was gone in the blink of an eye. Space opened like a zipper and she fell in. Maeda stood bolt upright. Ichigo and Byakuya scanned for her. Nothing. It was like she completely vanished.

"Don't give me that look." Ichigo felt something hit his head. He picked it up, seeing that it was a box of orange chocolate Pocky. Maki went back to her chair.

For a few seconds that girl had completely vanished. He couldn't feel any trace of her for those few seconds she was gone. It definitely explained how she managed to get out of the Fourth Division's barracks without alerting anyone.

"Well that's a couple mysteries down. It still doesn't explain how you knew where my house was."

"I just knew. Wherever Kazui-san goes, I go." The way she sighed was like a girl in high school.

"What happened anyway? You said the man attacked Kazui, but why didn't he follow through?"

"Kazui-san was calling for me. I have to respond if he does that and the first thing I did was drive the man off." That was a bold claim to make. Ichimaru was a Captain-level Soul Reaper but it did explain the blood at the scene that wasn't Kazui's. Ichigo didn't see any reason to doubt her.

"Maki, where did you come from?"

All she did was point to the ceiling.

"Above."

Ichigo and Byakuya went to the Captain's office in the barracks after Maki's session. Byakuya was already writing his report.

He was back. Ichigo knew he would see him again eventually. Before Kazui was even born Ichigo had been searching for the traitor and not just because of his crimes against Soul Society but because of the wealth of information that only he had. Why now though? Ichigo had searched high and low for him across Hueco Mundo, Soul Society, and the human world and yet now he came back.

"I believe this incident falls under your jurisdiction now." Byakuya dipped his brush once more. "That's what the SEU was founded for."

"Yeah, sorry about this, but Kyoto's gonna be under investigation for awhile."

"Rules are rules, I merely comply. What about the girl?" Maki was just outside, likely bored out of her mind. She was definitely hiding something despite being so frank during the questioning. Her comment about coming from "above" also raised some red flags. Ichigo couldn't let her out of his sight, especially not with how his family had become involved.

"She'll be under my personal watch from now on. I don't think she's a threat, but she warrants investigation and surveillance."

"Don't be surprised if the Captain-General gets involved soon. That girl said she came from 'above.' You know what that is."

The Royal Realm. Just what the hell had Kazui stumbled into?


End file.
